CALIFORNIA. [From the Sydney Morning Herald, Feb. 1.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 371, 21 February 1849, Page 4

CALIFORNIA. [From the Sydney Morning Herald, Feb. I.]

The run for gold which sprung up on a sudden and prevailed for a little, seems to have entirely ceased. We had barely time to circulate through our wide colonial connexion our comments on the metallic discovery in California, as a feature of the present juncture of the affairs of the world, when we were called upon to announce as a reality that which we had humbly conjectured to be probable — namely, the establishment by the United States of America of a regular government in California, and her strict appropriation of the gold region to her own peculiar use. On what else could anybody calculate ? was i f to be supposed that the shrewd and eager American would permit his newly acquired, much vaunted and much wanted treasures to be seized by strangers ? Or that the Republican w ould in such a case imitate the tame and dilatory procedure of the monarchical government? No — sharp's the word there. A great many persons however, it would appear, must have entertained these erroneous notions, for nearly a dozen vessels we are informed have been laid on for the gold country, and the numerous applications for passages promised at one time that we should undergo a heavy drainage of emigrants. But ships must take a little time in getting ready, and ten pounds (the customary passage-money, payable every farthing in advance, without the intervention of the Emigration Board) is not to be raised at a day's notice. Of the adventurers bound for El Dorado, some had to get tb«ir money out of the Savings Bank, and though this institution is of undoubted credit, and Mr. Miller extremely obliging at all times, yet the regulations do not pormit payment every day ; and another had to collect his moneys from some source less available. By these untoward circumstances, vexatious delays took place, deposits were not paid, and ship captains did not know what quantity of grog, prog, and ammunition to lay in. In the en i came the accounts that hare damped any ardour that had not died out from the delay of its gratification ; The States were settling the country, had sent a force, would impose a royafty at

least, if not* altogether put a stop to the diggings and washings. This put a check at once to the spirit of gambling by which many appeated incited to prefer a lawless scramble and a dangerous intercourse with the outcasts of New Orleans and Texas to honest and well remunerated industry in one of the finest countries of the globe. Yet why should the establishment of a settled government have this discouraging effect ? Is not the gold there ? And will it not require to be worked ? And will not the working of it be handsomely paid for ! Surely, but then against the dead certainty of paying out ten pounds for a steerage passage there is nothing now to be set but the probability of respectable earnings. The vague expectation held foith before of gaining a great prize in the lottery, maugre all the counier chances — the expectation, however ill-founded and indefinite, of falling at once upon a great mass of gold that nobody else carrying a rifle or a bowie-knife knew of— -this giant expectation is demolished, and iojts place is substituted the well-pro-portioned but proportionally small figure " honest labour." Now, if you find the mass of virgin ore glowing like the sun in his noonday glory, you find it for Jonathan — your reward is measured by dull silver dollars or greasy shin-plasters ! There have also within the last few days been some ugly rumours afloat as to the strictness of the United States Navigation Laws, and doubts have been expressed whether goods, not the growth or manufacture of the United Kingdom, can be landed there from British ships. On this point we would suggest to the United States Consul that he should give the public the benefit of any information he may possess.